Rafting the Zambezi: The 15 Best Runs

1.Zambezi River Class IV-V White-Water Rafting from Victoria Falls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 243 reviews · from $140Our pick

Class IV-V Zambezi rafting from Victoria Falls with hotel pickup, a steep gorge hike, lunch and open bar, plus 14 miles of rapids.

“The whitewater rafting was great. JB and his crew were amazing (special shoutout to Liberty)… very safe, friendly and informative. Also incredibly patient. The climb down the gorge to put in and back up at the end is no joke. It’s a lot of climbing over rocks, steps made of branches and loose gravel. I’m in good shape and I do some hiking, but I found this very challenging, especially in water shoes. But the team was very encouraging and helpful and didn’t rush us, literally holding my hand through portions. The barbecue chicken and beer at the end of the climb were a nice payoff.”

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2.Half Day Zambezi Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 149 reviews · from $140

Half-day Zambezi whitewater rafting in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Class 3-5 rapids, lunch, hotel pickup, photos and videos included.

“The guys that work for the company, James, Andrew, Abraham, Clement and all were fantastic from start to finish. Picked us up from Hotel where Jarvis our driver was awesome, drove us to the border and navigated us thru the border to James in Zambia. The only thing I will tell you if you are not fit don't go as the climb out of the river is not for the faint hearted.”

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3.White Water Rafting in Zimbabwe

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 88 reviews · from $120Best value

Ride Grade V Zambezi rapids right after Victoria Falls, with pickup, gear in winter, and lunch included, plus a tough steep gorge walk.

“Exhausting you have to be very fit to participate in the climb to and from river. loved the experience”

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4.Full Day White Water Rafting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 42 reviews · 8 hours · from $1,000

Private full-day Zambezi white-water rafting near Victoria Falls, 23 to 30 km through Batoka Gorge with grade IV to V rapids.

“Best river rafting trip by far ! Words fail to express how great the experience and guides were. James and his team did an incredible job at keeping us safe while making it a fun adventure . After a hard day of rowing, they served up a delicious meal, all with friendly conversation. They made the Zambezi river trip an incredible memory and a must do for anyone wanting to truly experience the Zambezi River . I am already going over the photos/ videos they took and I am able to relive the amazing full day on the Zambezi River . The memories will last a lifetime. They were AWESOME…”

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5.Whitewater Rafting Adventure on the Zambezi River, Victoria Falls Zimbabwe

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · from $140

Whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River below Victoria Falls, class 3 to 5 rapids, small group feel, lunch included, Batoka Gorge scenery.

“Elvis is the guy who made it fun for us... actually all the stuff were great. We really enjoyed and they were very professional...”

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6.5 Days & 4 Nights Whitewater Rafting Victoria Falls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 18 reviews · from $1,805

5 days of Zambezi grade 4 to 6 whitewater from Victoria Falls, with pro guides, beach camps, and hippo and crocodile sightings.

“The company took care of everything, they made it safe and fun. We had a raft that was good for everyone from those who wanted to "GO BIG" to those who wanted a smoother ride. The guides were knowledgeable, hard-working, and fun!”

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7.Whitewater Rafting on the Zambezi River from Victoria Falls

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 12 reviews · from $139

Whitewater rafting on the Zambezi from Victoria Falls, level 4 and 5 rapids, hotel pickup, lunch, beers, and a steep gorge climb.

“Absolutely brilliant trip with Gideon and the team. We were well looked after and it is value for money! Be aware that the gorge climb is pretty steep but such an amazing time going through the rapids. Well worth it!”

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8.Zambezi Whitewater Rafting & Open Bar Sunset Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $210

Raft the Zambezi’s Class IV to V rapids with BBQ and open bar, then cruise at sunset on the Zambezi River near Victoria Falls.

“Wow! Whitewater rafting truly lives up to the hype!!!”

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9.Zambezi River White Water Rafting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 7 hours · from $160

Zambezi River white-water rafting from Victoria Falls with safety briefings, 4 hours on the rapids, BBQ lunch, and open bar.

“I liked everything. Early morning unexpected change flexibly accommodated. Very well organised. Great team of guides, canoe rescuers, equipment carers, cooks, drivers. Gorge was stunning. White water exhilarating, challenging but totally rewarding. Expertly guided through fun safely. Guidance and care was provided for steep walks in & out.”

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10.Full-Day White Water Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5 reviews · 5 - 7 hours · from $140

Full-day Zambezi rafting below Victoria Falls in the Batoka Gorge, tackling Class IV-V rapids, with pickup from Kasane and lunch included.

“los guias son nuy amables, buenos y divertidos. el sitio es muy bonito y el rafting esta bien. Lo malo : el jefe de la empresa ha querido cobrarnos 100 dolares porque donde nos han venido a buscar estaba muy lejos , cuando en el tour se dejaba muy claro que estaba incluida la recogida y tenian nuestra dirección escrita desde hace más de 3 semanas. al final hemos tenido que llegar a un acuerdo de 25 euros porque no queria aceptar que no pagaramos aun sabiendo que estaba incluido en el tour.”

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11.3 Days & 2 Nights Whitewater Rafting Victoria Falls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $1,082

3-day, 2-night Zambezi whitewater rafting from Victoria Falls with class 4, 5 and 6 rapids, camping, meals, and hotel pickup.

“Such an amazing experience that won't be soon forgotten. We used this company and its rafting team first for a multiday trip whitewater rafting down the Zambezi and couldn't give higher praise for the team. Philani aka MD was our guardian thRead more”

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12.Whitewater Rafting 2 Full Days & 1 Night

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $650

Two-day Zambezi overnight rafting from Victoria Falls. Class 4-6 rapids, pro guides, meals and camping, hotel pickup and drop-off.

“This is my first visit to Africa and thank God we took our friends recommendation to plan through Philani @Shockwave Adventure. Everything has been so easy and taken care of thru Philani. Yesterday we went river rafting on the mighty ZamRead more”

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13.Whitewater Rafting Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · 7 hours · from $161

Run Victoria Falls rapids 1 to 19 on expert-guided rafts, then refuel with lunch, cold beer, and a hike out of the gorge.

“The Rafting was perfect, but the problem is that after you got picked up from hotel it takes almost two hours to get to the boat. And most of the time we were just waiting.”

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14.Zambezi River: Kid-Friendly Whitewater Rafting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 6 hours · from $140

Kid-friendly Zambezi River rafting from Victoria Falls: 6 hours, Class 1-4 rapids, family options, steep walk, and a Batoka Gorge BBQ lunch.

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15.Two Days/One Night Rafting Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · from $300

Two-day overnight Zambezi rafting from Victoria Falls with guided rapids, river camping, fishing, meals, drinks, safety gear, and a village stop.

“Enocklabisi the owner of Maano and his team were exceptional. My daughter and I went on the overnight trip on August 22, 2022. Generally I have found Zambia very expensive, but after seeing the number of people employed and the skill levRead more”

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